Genealogy Chat

Is there someone with an Ancestry Subscription who could kindly lookup The
England & Wales Criminal Registers 1791-1892 and find out what my ancestor did? His name is Tillotson Horsfall he lived in Lancashire the date shown on the Search results Page on Ancestry is 11 May 1889.
Would be most appreciative of any help thank you.

Kiwibird <3

Attempting to kill & murder himself - 2 months imprisonment

Oh my gosh!! how sad, the poor man :-0 :-0

Many Thanks Vivienne for looking that up for Me.
Regards Kiwibird <3 <3 <3

Huddersfield Chronicle West Yorkshire, England
4 Jan 1896
FRAY BENTOS OX TONGUES ARE THE BEST
morning, Tillotson Horsfall, carter, Greenwood-terrace, Colne, committed suicide. The deceaaed bad been drinking heavily lately. On tbe previous night, owing to bis strange manner, his wife requested two men to stay in the house. Early in the morning they


Burnley Express Lancashire, England
19 Jul 1890
DISTRICT NEWS
fined Tillotson Horsfall, a Colne carter. 10s. and costs, or 14 days' imprisonment, for being druak in charge of a horse and lurry in Alancheater-road. Nelson, on Monday evening. P.C. Al'lnstry proved the case.— Samuel Lee, a Nelson carter, was ridingll


(above from British Newspaper Archive on GR, I don't have credits to view full articles, but perhaps somebody else has)

Chris :)

How sad, makes you wonder what went on between 1881 and 1891 census,diesn't it?
he'd only been married (second wife ) since 1883

Chris Ho Many,thanks for the Newspaper articles.

I wondered if his death in 1896 was from suicide after reading what Vivienne found. And you have just confirmed this.

I dont know if she is connected but directly under your ancestors entry on the criminal register is

Mary Hodgkinson - Attempting to kill & murder herself - 2 months imprisonment


Edit: Maybe not, there are a few who were sentenced for the same thing



:-(

You could contact the Lancs County Records Office and ask if they offer a Search Service, or you may know some kindly person who goes there and will look up things for you.
You MAY find details of your ancestor in any of the following.....

Prison Records: Calendars of Prisoners, Calendars of Sentences (list prisoners, offence, occupation, location, magistrates).

Court Records (Quarter Sessions, Petty Sessions, Assizes etc). Prior to 1876 however, Lancashire was one of the Palatinates, who had their own courts, ie not in the main courts system.

Also try
The National Archives
Black Sheep Index , http://blacksheepancestors.com/uk/prisons.shtml

Sadly, the black sheep index doesn't exist any more.

EDIT - well your link works lol - but that wasn't the site I was thinking of. There used to be another one which is no longer available (I believe the owner died)

You may have these already, they are from the Baptisms Register at St Mary the Virgin, in the Parish of Trawden. A very kind person has transcribed them on http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Trawden/stmary/baptisms
I noticed lots of Horsfalls and Tillotsons.

Baptism: 9 Mar 1856 St Mary the Virgin, Trawden, Lancs.
Tillotson Horsfall - [Child] of James Horsfall & Anne
Abode: Hollin Hall
Occupation: Weaver
Baptised by: T C Humfrey
Register: Baptisms 1846 - 1900, Page 30, Entry 238
Source: LDS Film 1526058

Baptism: 29 Jan 1882 St Mary the Virgin, Trawden, Lancs.
Eunice Horsfall - [Child] of Tillotson Horsfall & Mary
Abode: Wine Wall
Occupation: Carter
Notes: Adult Baptism
Baptised by: W Lancaster Taylor BA Vicar
Register: Baptisms 1846 - 1900, Page 118, Entry 937
Source: LDS Film 1526058

Baptism: 29 Jan 1882 St Mary the Virgin, Trawden, Lancs.
William Horsfall - [Child] of Tillotson Horsfall & Mary
Abode: Wine Wall
Occupation: Carter
Baptised by: W Lancaster Taylor BA Vicar
Register: Baptisms 1846 - 1900, Page 118, Entry 938
Source: LDS Film 1526058

Baptism: 27 May 1867 St Mary the Virgin, Trawden, Lancs.
James Horsfall - [Child] of Tillotson Horsfall & Margaret
Born: 21 Jan 1867
Occupation: Carter
Baptised by: T C Humfrey
Register: Baptisms 1846 - 1900, Page 73, Entry 582
Source: LDS Film 1526058

Hi Janice, I wondered why I couldn't find the Black Sheep site I was familiar with!!! It was a .co.uk site :-(

There seem to be a lot of forums where people are asking where it has gone!!

From Huddersfield Chronicle & West Yorkshire Advertiser - January 4th 1896.

At Colne, early on Thursday morning, Tillotson Horsfall, carter, Greenwood-terrace, Colne, committed suicide. The deceased had been drinking heavily lately. On the previous night, owing to his strange manner, his wife had requested two men stay in the house. Early in the morning they were startled by hearing a crash of glass. The deceased had leapt through the bedroom window, and had fallen a distance of 20ft. He died shortly afterwards from injuries received.

Unfortunately alcoholism and depression often go hand in hand. It seems the Victorian solution was incarceration. Very enlightened.

Here's articles from the Burnley Express and Blackurn Standard from British Newspapers on Genes.

Blackburn Standard 7 Jan 1888
Colne.— Tillotson Horsfall, carter, 8, Shaw-street, Colne, attempted suicide on Sunday morning by cutting his throat. When discovered medical aid was summoned, and the wretched man's wound was sewn. Horsfall, it is stated, had been depressed on account of not receiving some debts due to him.
-----
Burnley Express Lancashire - 4 May 1889
The Attempted Suicide – Tillotson Horsfall, carter, of Greenwood-terrace, was charged with attempting to commit suicide by cutting his throat with a table knife on the afternoon of Thursday last week. - The circumstances of the attempt were given in detail in the Express last week. Supt. Barnett said the prisoner was still suffering from the effects of drink, and had to be continually watched. Prisoner's wife said her husband was just recovering from a drunken fit when he made the attempt on his life. He made a similar attempt on the 1st Jan 1888. Dr. Dickey, who was called in to the injured man, said the prisoner was suffering from delirium tremens at the time. Witness thought prisoner's mental condition was sound enough. In reply to P.C. Mellor, who charged the prisoner with the offence that (Wednesday) morning, he replied “Yes”. Mr. Handley said it was no use speaking to the prisoner, who was still suffering from the effects of drink, as to the enormity of his offence. In justice to the prisoner, he must be committed to take his trial at the Manchester Assizes next week.
-----

Burnley Express
Express and Advertiser 15 May 1889
THE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE - At the Manchester Assizes on Monday, Tillotson Horsfall pleaded guilty to having on April 25th, at Colne, attempted to commit suicide. Mr. McKeand, addressing the court on prisoner's behalf, pointed out that Horsfall had never been charged with any offence before he committed the act for which he is now indicted. He had been drinking heavily, and was at the time suffering from delirium tremens. Prisoner had a wife and family, and he only earned about 16s. per week. He had work to go to and he hoped his Lordship would mercifally overlook this offence. The Commissioner said attempted self-murder was an offence that he could not overlook. Prisoner would go to gaol for two months.

So succeeded on third attempt. Very sad

-

Here's the earlier article describing suicide attempt.

BURNLEY EXPRESS April 27th 1889
Attempted Suicide – On Thursday Tillotson Horsfall, a man of about 45 years of age, living at Greenwood Terrace, Lenches, Colne, made a very determined attempt to destroy his own life. Horsfall on New Year's Day last year unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat, and since then he has had to be carefully watched, all knives being concealed from him. Just after dinner yesterday his wife saw him pick up an ordinary dinner knife from the table and walk inton the kitchen, sawing at his throat the while. She ran into the street screaming, and two men jamed James Rawstron and Alfred Simpson went into the house and secured Horsfall. Dr.Dickey was sent for, and attended the man's injuries. In addition to opening the old wound in his struggles he had inflicted a wound three inches long and penetrating into his windpipe. Police-constables are now engaged in watching the man, who will not be brought before the magistrates for several days, owing to the nature of his injuries.

Poor man, so very sad..

Jules x

Thank you Moonbeam and K in the Desert. I wish I had not opened 'Pandora's Box . It is quite Tragic about Poor Tillotson, it would have been really hard on his Second wife Mary and his Children.

His daughter Eunice was my Great Grandfather's second wife and through her Mother, Tillotsons' first wife they where 1st Cousins 3 x removed.

This is not the first sad tragedy I have discovered in this part of my family But I feel quite sad now, especially after reading the Newspaper accounts.

It sort of puts your life into perspective when you learn how hard live was back then.